Working Group

Biorefineries

Vision

The Biorefineries working group seeks to address research, development and innovation (RDI) challenges aimed at facilitating the transition from a fossil resource-based industry toward utilization of sustainable and renewable resources that provide an opportunity for economic growth and job creation across a value chain spanning from primary production to value-added processing in an economically and environmentally responsible manner.

The aim is to “develop and coordinate the implementation of biorefinery RDI priorities in support of a sustainable bio-based economy transition”.

Focus Areas

  • Assess bio-based product and market opportunities across IBF member countries.

  • Develop biorefinery roadmaps to support the broader biomass to product value chain.

  • Provide an understanding of the appropriate scale for a biorefinery depending on resource availability and location (distribute versus centralized biorefineries).

  • Focus on piloting, demonstration and transfer of biorefinery technologies.

  • Promote inter- and multi-disciplinary RDI cooperation between IBF member countries across RDI value chain.

  • Establish international partnerships to leverage bilateral and multilateral resources, technologies and skills.

Key Deliverables

  • Development of a roadmap.

  • Mapping of current bio-refineries.

  • Advocacy.

  • RDI priority setting.

  • Cooperation and partnerships.

Participants

South Africa (co-lead)

European Commission (co-lead)

Brunei

China

Ghana

Malaysia

United Kingdom